English Literature BA
AAA at A level, A in English Literature or English Language and Literature; graduates earn a median £27,000 three years on.
Typical A level offer
AAA
A in English Literature or English Language and Literature · 95% of entrants came with A levels · 94% stay on after year 1 · Warwick course page, Discover Uni
Year 13 · applying
What do you need to get in?
AAAtypical A level offer; aaa or a*ab to include grade a in english literature or english language and literature (combined).
Typical offer — the grades most applicants are asked for. Contextual offer: ABB, for applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
Warwick course page, read 19 September 2026 · Discover Uni entry profile
- 1A in English Literature or English Language and Literature
Who actually got in: 95% with A levels, 4% with the IB, 1% via Access courses. 7% arrived with 208 or more UCAS tariff points — roughly A*A*A or better. Based on 125 entrants.
UCAS tariff points — a points scale for grades: A* = 56, A = 48, so A*A*A = 160. Entrants’ totals include extra subjects.
Other qualifications4
| Qualification | Typical offer | Required subjects |
|---|---|---|
| IB | 36 points36 to include 6 at Higher Level in English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined). | — |
| BTEC | —We welcome applications from students taking BTECs alongside A level English Literature or English Language and Literature (combined). | — |
| Advanced Highers | AAAA in two Advanced Highers including English Literature, and AAB in three additional Highers subjects. | English Literature, and AAB in three additional Highers subjects |
| Access | 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis. Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Di | — |
Years 1–3
What do you study?
4compulsory modules in year 1
Compulsory modules this year: arts & humanities 78% · transversal skills 13% · language & communication 9%.
Module — one course unit, usually a term or a year long; “core” means everyone takes it. One UK credit is about ten hours of study; a full year is 120 credits.
Warwick course page · optional modules vary by year
Year 1 · 4 core · 120 credits ≈ 1,200 hours
- Epic into Novel
What you learn (12)
- describe the content and themes of Homer's Iliad and Virgil's Aeneid
- explain the defining features of the classical epic genre
- trace the influence of classical epic on later european literature
- describe the content and structure of Milton's Paradise Lost
- relate Paradise Lost to classical epic traditions
- describe the content of two classic english novels
- explain the defining characteristics of the novel as a genre
- analyse how novelists adapted epic traditions in their works
- describe non-western epic and novel works and their cultural context
- compare non-western epics and novels with european counterparts
- analyse how cultural, political and religious contexts modify genre conventions
- explain how literary genres evolve across cultural circumstances
- Medieval and Early Modern Literature
What you learn (8)
- read and translate passages of Middle English text
- describe the historical development and structure of the English language
- describe the works of Chaucer and contemporary medieval writers
- explain medieval society and cultural context relevant to literature
- identify forms and metres used in English poetry
- apply academic writing conventions appropriate to literary studies
- use scholarly resources to support literary analysis
- interpret literary texts to construct critical essay arguments
- Modes of Reading
What you learn (13)
- analyse a literary or cultural work through multiple theoretical lenses
- conduct bibliographic research on modern literary and cultural works
- discuss literature's role in society and institutional authority debates
- discuss a literary work using varied theoretical questions
- define literary theory and literary criticism as distinct fields
- explain the historical emergence of literary theory and criticism as disciplines
- apply research skills to literary study
- apply close reading techniques to literary texts
- carry out critical analysis of modern literary works
- conduct bibliographic research on modern cultural works
- debate the role of literature within society and institutions
- evaluate readiness to progress to advanced literary theory study
- choose suitable honours-level literary specialisations
- Modern World Literature
What you learn (2)
- discuss a literary work in relation to concepts of modernity
- explain how social, cultural and international contexts shape literary production
Year 2 · 1 core, 8 optional · 30 credits ≈ 300 hours
- Literature in Theory
What you learn (6)
- analyse how regional, national and global contexts shape literary production
- conduct online research on the production and marketing of literary texts
- deliver presentations analysing the institutionalisation of cultural texts
- discuss the relationship between literature and other disciplines and media
- select appropriate level 6 module options based on personal academic goals
- choose a suitable dissertation supervisor matching research interests
8 optional modules
- Romantic & Victorian Poetry
What you learn (5)
- explain how romantic and victorian poems relate to their historical and cultural context
- analyse poems in light of contemporary political, religious and scientific developments
- apply close reading techniques to analyse poetic texts
- trace the development of literary criticism on romantic and victorian poetry over time
- evaluate critical interpretations of poems from different historical periods
- Literature, Environment, Ecology
What you learn (11)
- identify key theoretical and literary concepts relevant to set texts
- describe critical contexts situating set texts
- analyse set texts through close reading
- discuss critical responses to set texts
- apply honours-level academic presentation conventions to written work
- explore methodologies for reading texts through ecological perspectives
- outline a broad range of texts and concepts related to ecocritical approaches
- identify critical, analytical and creative methodologies used in the course
- produce written English with accurate and varied vocabulary
- apply conventions of textual analysis to construct critical arguments
- formulate research questions to guide independent study
- States of Damage: Twenty-First Century US Writing and Culture
What you learn (10)
- identify key theoretical and literary concepts relevant to set texts
- situate set texts within relevant cultural and critical contexts
- analyse set texts through close reading and viewing techniques
- apply scholarly conventions to academic writing and presentation
- explore methodologies for interpreting texts within contemporary American culture
- describe a broad range of texts and concepts in contemporary American culture
- compare critical, analytical and creative approaches to generating knowledge
- write academic English accurately using a wide-ranging vocabulary
- construct critical arguments using established textual analysis protocols
- formulate research questions to guide independent study
- The Classical Tradition in English Translations: The Renaissance
What you learn (9)
- explain the historical evolution of translation, imitation and adaptation concepts
- describe how the classical tradition shaped english-language literature
- outline core concepts and techniques used in translation studies
- identify major classical literary genres through their translations
- apply key methods of enquiry used in translation studies
- evaluate the suitability of different research methods in translation studies
- analyse early modern translations using varied analytical techniques
- apply insights from early modern translations to later translated texts
- communicate analysis of historically situated translations clearly
- American Horror Story: U.S. Gothic Cultures, 1619 to Tomorrow
What you learn (12)
- identify key texts and concepts in US gothic/horror culture
- analyse set texts through close reading and viewing
- construct a sustained critical argument using conceptual frameworks
- summarise recent scholarship relevant to the subject
- evaluate ambiguity and contradiction within gothic cultural works
- incorporate scholarly reviews and primary sources into analysis
- write fluently in English using precise and varied vocabulary
- produce an extended essay developing sustained critical analysis
- formulate research questions and investigate them independently
- demonstrate personal responsibility and decision-making in produced work
- collaborate effectively within group work
- communicate ideas effectively across different media forms
- Shakespeare and Selected Dramatists of His Time
What you learn (7)
- compare competing critical perspectives on Shakespearean texts
- select appropriate approaches for analysing plays as literary texts
- analyse plays as texts intended for performance
- relate plays to their religious, social and political contexts
- conduct independent research into a defined Shakespeare studies question
- formulate a reasoned response to a research question with minimal guidance
- examine the language of Shakespeare and contemporaries through close reading
Year 3 · 0 core, 9 optional
9 optional modules
- Early Modern Drama
What you learn (5)
- explain the political, religious and social contexts of set early modern plays
- describe major dramatic trends of the English stage between 1574 and 1642
- explain key theories of early modern literary and dramatic criticism
- apply early modern critical approaches to analyse dramatic texts
- analyse early modern primary sources beyond the set texts using digital archives
- Ecopoetics: Poetry and World-Ecology
What you learn (11)
- develop a personal method for writing outside the traditional desk-based setting
- apply a contemporary mode of engagement to represent environmental change in writing
- summarise the major environmental problems shaping life in the present century
- explain a structural link between environmental issues operating at different scales
- outline the current landscape of poetic practice relevant to ecological writing
- position one's own writing tendencies within the contemporary ecopoetic field
- use scholarly and primary sources to support analysis of poetic practice
- compose an extended piece of writing in a chosen poetic form or mode
- justify the choice of poetic form or mode used in a creative project
- explain the interdisciplinary demands placed on ecopoetic writing
- reflect on how a creative project addresses audiences from different disciplines
- Introduction to Alternative Lifeworlds Fiction (Science Fiction, Fantasy and the Weird)
What you learn (12)
- identify key theoretical and literary concepts relevant to set texts
- situate set texts within relevant cultural and critical contexts
- analyse set texts through close reading and viewing
- critique set texts using developed analytical skills
- apply scholarly conventions of academic presentation
- apply a core method for interpreting alternative lifeworld fiction
- describe a broad range of texts and concepts in alternative lifeworld fiction
- explain critical, analytic and creative approaches to generating knowledge
- produce written English with accurate and varied vocabulary
- construct a critical argument through textual analysis
- formulate research questions for independent investigation
- conduct independent research to address self-formulated questions
- Literature and Empire: Britain and the Caribbean to c. 1900
What you learn (13)
- incorporate recent scholarship into analysis of colonial literary texts
- discuss issues of race, gender and colonialism in literary texts
- evaluate critically how race, gender and colonialism appear across literary genres
- apply knowledge of historical and cultural context to interpret literary texts
- describe processes of literary canon formation
- critique shifts in literary taste over time
- apply standard literary analysis techniques accurately
- construct and sustain a coherent literary argument
- summarise recent scholarly research in literary studies
- differentiate between competing scholarly approaches
- recognise uncertainty and limitations within literary scholarship
- use scholarly reviews and primary sources appropriately in analysis
- plan and execute an extended independent research project
- Queering the Literary Landscape: LGBTQ+ Literature and Culture in the Contemporary World
What you learn (11)
- explain the cultural, political and social contexts of set LGBTQ+ texts
- analyse critical and theoretical texts through close reading
- construct a sustained critical argument using conceptual understanding
- demonstrate personal responsibility and independent decision-making in academic work
- collaborate effectively with peers on shared tasks
- select and use scholarly reviews and primary sources appropriately
- discuss key issues in the production and reception of queer literature
- apply theoretical frameworks in conjunction with literary analysis
- evaluate the relevance of literary and theoretical work to contemporary society
- formulate an original research topic within queer literary studies
- apply queer theory concepts and methods to a non-literary cultural form
- Austen in Theory
What you learn (9)
- describe Austen's novels within their original literary context
- explain how Austen's novels are interpreted in current scholarship
- explain the novel's place within Anglo-American and continental philosophical traditions
- apply theoretical frameworks when reading literary texts
- pursue independent interests in theoretical approaches to literature
- analyse literary texts using critical reading techniques
- compose critical written arguments about literary texts
- conduct independent research using appropriate scholarly methods
- apply honours-level scholarly conventions with growing independence
- American Poetry: Modernity, Rupture, Violence
What you learn (8)
- construct an extended academic argument of journal-article length
- apply scholarly conventions for citing and evaluating critical sources
- develop an original line of argument through independent research
- describe major movements and figures in American poetry history
- relate poetic movements and figures to their historical context
- identify basic and specialised terms for analysing poetic form and rhetoric
- apply rhetorical and formal analysis methods to critical readings of poems
- evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and assumptions of critical debates
“What you learn” restates each module’s published learning outcomes in our own words, as short skill statements in the same form as the GCSE and A level curriculum, with the help of an AI model; fields of knowledge follow the twelve fields of the knowledge sphere. The university’s module page, linked from each title, is the authoritative description.
After graduating
Where does it lead?
£27,000median pay three years after graduating
Lower quarter£21k
Median£27k
Upper quarter£37k
Median — the middle earner: half earned more, half less. Pay is for graduates of this subject at this university who finished in 2016-18, not adjusted for inflation; based on 20 graduates.
Discover Uni dataset (HESA and Office for Students, CC BY 4.0, contains HESA data); earnings from the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data (Department for Education) · aggregation level 14, 13, 23
Half of graduates earned between £21,000 and £36,500. Five years on, the median is £36,500. 85% were in work or further study 15 months after finishing; 70% of those in work were in professional or managerial jobs.
All outcome figures7
| Measure | Value | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Continue after year 16% left | 94% | 125 |
| In work or study, 15 months on15% studying | 85% | 30 |
| Professional or managerial job | 70% | 20 |
| Pay 15 months on, median | £26,000 | 10 |
| Pay 3 years on, median | £27,000 | 20 |
| Pay 5 years on, median | £36,500 | 20 |
Money
What does it cost?
£10,050a year for UK students, 2027/28 entry
Tuition fee loan — paid straight to the university; repayments start the April after you leave, at 9% of income above the threshold. UK fees are capped by government and rise with inflation; placement and study-abroad years are usually charged at a lower rate.
Warwick fees page · source
About £30,150 in fees over 3 years, covered by a tuition fee loan you repay only when earning above the threshold.
National Student Survey 2025-26
What do students say?
82%agreed the course was good overall (question 26)
NSS — a yearly survey of final-year students at every UK university; 71% of this course’s final year answered. Small groups can swing a lot year to year.
National Student Survey, via Discover Uni · 85 students answered
Highest: 96% agreed on question 20; lowest: 47% on question 24.
All questions26
| Question | Agree |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | 93% |
| Question 2 | 85% |
| Question 3 | 94% |
| Question 4 | 88% |
| Question 5 | 92% |
| Question 6 | 82% |
| Question 7 | 90% |
| Question 8 | 69% |
| Question 9 | 83% |
| Question 10 | 63% |
| Question 11 | 92% |
| Question 12 | 82% |
| Question 13 | 80% |
| Question 14 | 77% |
| Question 15 | 90% |
| Question 16 | 92% |
| Question 17 | 63% |
| Question 18 | 68% |
| Question 19 | 89% |
| Question 20 | 96% |
| Question 21 | 85% |
| Question 22 | 73% |
| Question 23 | 76% |
| Question 24 | 47% |
| Question 25 | 78% |
| Question 26 | 82% |
Question texts are published by the Office for Students; the dataset carries only the question numbers.
Modules, entry requirements and fees are facts read from University of Warwick’s course page on 2026-09-19 and may change; the university’s page is authoritative. Descriptions are not reproduced. Outcome figures are from the Discover Uni dataset. University of Warwick is a trade mark of the university; sch.today is independent of it.